Glimpses Into the Future
by bushlaboo
Summary: Go into the future of PC and see where Brazen, Nia, Zem, Sax, LiRic, Caxis & S&C stand.


Glimpses Into the Future  
  
"I'm tired of this Gia," Nikolas bellowed. "It's bad enough that I have to deal with never seeing you but now this," he ground out. "Seeing AJ Quartermaine behind my back!"  
  
"It's not like that," Gia protested. Or at least she didn't think it was, her friendship with AJ was complicated.  
  
"He obviously things so," Nikolas spat out as he pointed to the diamond earrings AJ bought her.  
  
"Well he's wrong."  
  
"So you'll return his gift?" Nikolas asked.  
  
"No," Gia replied instinctively. The gift from AJ was special, meant to celebrate her perfect A's.  
  
"What the hell kind of relationship do we have Gia?" Nikolas asked throwing his coat onto the couch. "What happened to the girl who wanted to be married to me?"  
  
"That's not fair," she protested. "I still want to marry you Nikolas. I just don't want our marriage to be my life. I don't want to be an ornament on your arm. You have to understand that!"  
  
"You were never an ornament Gia. You never would be."  
  
"I know you mean that but ."  
  
"BUT!" Nikolas roared.  
  
"I felt like that," she said softly, but firmly.  
  
"I can't believe you. I've given you everything ."  
  
"And that's the problem," Gia said interrupting him. "I don't want to be given everything Nikolas. I want to earn things on my own."  
  
Nikolas deflated. "I gave you love Gia. I gave you respect, trust ." he trailed off. "You're the one to see things, not me."  
  
"Because you give them freely too Nikolas. It's not a bad thing but sometimes you give too much."  
  
"Now I'm the bad guy because I tried to provide for you?" he scoffed.  
  
"There's a difference," Gia seethed. "Why can't you see that?"  
  
Nikolas shook his head. They kept having the same argument. They kept going in circles. Neither of them where happy. God he missed being happy with Gia. "I'm tired of having to defend myself Gia."  
  
"And I'm tired of having to explain this to you over and over again. It's too much effort."  
  
"Too much effort," Nikolas repeated. Well that told him something. "Fine. I'll make things simple. We're over. Now get out of my house."  
  
"Excuse me!" Gia hollered. The cold way Nikolas announced their breakup hurt. Having moved heaven and earth to be together, Gia couldn't picture her life without him in it.  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"You can't just make a grand decision like that Nikolas. We've been together too long."  
  
"And it's too much work. Your words not mine Gia," he reminded her. "Do you really think it's supposed to be this hard to love someone? Look at Lucky and Elizabeth. They did the same exact thing and it didn't end well."  
  
"We're not them," Gia reminded Nikolas, even though his words rang true. She didn't want to give on him, on them. The rest of her life was supposed to them together facing the world, growing and changing.  
  
"No, but we're making the same mistake," Nikolas said, regret swirling in his dark eyes.  
  
"I don't believe that," Gia said shaking.  
  
"Look," Nikolas sighed. "I'll go stay at the PC Hotel and give you a few days to move out."  
  
"I'm not moving out!" Gia insisted. "We're not over."  
  
"Yes we are," Nikolas said picking up his coat. "I do you love you Gia, and I would have married you . we just don't fit anymore," he confided before exiting the room.  
  
Wide-eyed Gia sunk to the couch. She wasn't sure if Nikolas was right or wrong. All she knew was that her world had just shifted and she wasn't sure of her footing.  
  
~*~  
  
"You've certainly made a mess of things," Jerry commented dryly as he scanned the Port Charles skyline. From the penthouse of the PC Hotel the city played out below them, lights swirled and noise of the street could not be heard.  
  
"That's an understatement," Jax concurred. His face was heavily lined. The drama of the last few months had worn heavily on him. His crystal eyes were dark and lack luster. Everything had been drained out of him. Jax knew he had no one to blame but himself, still he couldn't help to wonder where it all went wrong. "How is she?"  
  
Jerry's spine stiffened. His mossy eyes went hard for a moment before the normal mischief returned to them. "Happy." The word came out clipped.  
  
"Good," Jax responded clearing his throat, "she deserves to be."  
  
The older of the two brothers nodded his agreement. "So what do you plan to do now?"  
  
Jax sighed and scrubbed his face. The last few months had been like riding a roller coaster blinded folded. There had been ups and downs, and unexpected twists and turns. Emotionally he was still on unsteady ground while the rest of the world continued to spin on as if nothing had happened. But for him everything happened in accelerated speed. He'd married Skye, found out Brenda was alive and that a madman was gunning for him, then he was shot, pushed his bride away, betrayed her in his dreams, found out that she lied to him and used that as the excuse to leave her so he could go back to Brenda. Then the next thing he knew, Alcazar had been murder and Brenda was forced to stay married to Jason so that they couldn't testify against each other. He had watched helpless has Skye spiraled out of control and Brenda drifted further and further away from him. Worst of all he threw Skye away like she was nothing, and karma got him back when Brenda did the same when she chose Jason. Mess was an understatement. Jax couldn't comprehend it.  
  
Things had spun further out of control when his errant older brother came back to town. He thought Jerry came back for Bobbie. It made sense that Jerry would come back to claim his almost bride, but whatever was once between his brother and Bobbie Spencer wasn't there when he came back. The two got along famously, and were thick as thieves, but romance was no longer between them. Jerry's whirlwind courtship of his ex-wife caught Jax completely off guard. He didn't even know that Jerry knew Skye when the two turned up married. Very happily married. Just has his life with Brenda fell apart, Jerry turned up wedded to his ex-wife. To his total and utter surprise that had hurt more then Brenda choosing to stay Ms. Morgan. Skye with another man hurt, Skye with his brother was agony.  
  
"I don't know," Jax finally responded to his brother's question. "The future is that unsure void again. I didn't know how to deal with it the first time, and I'm no better off this time."  
  
"Sure you are," Jerry said slinging an arm over Jax's shoulder. "I'm here to look out for you."  
  
"That you are," Jax agreed with a faint smile. He didn't want to tell Jerry how much it hurt to see him blissfully happy with Skye.  
  
~*~  
  
"I don't know what I was thinking!" Brenda yelled. Her hands were on her slim hips, her dark eyes were spitting with anger as she faced down her husband. Jason Morgan and the words her husband were never supposed to go together. She hated Jason, but fate put them together and passion sparked. Now she was passionately in love and very, very annoyed with her husband.  
  
Jason sighed, a rubbed his face. Fighting with Brenda was like fighting with Carly - he never seemed to make any permanent headway. The same fight happened over and over again. It aggravated him to no end. "That you love me," he reminded her, as he did every time she questioned why they remained married.  
  
Brenda shook her head. She absolutely hated when he did that. He always had to be cool and logical. How the hell was she supposed to fight that? she wondered. "Fighting with you is impossible," she told him throwing up her hands.  
  
He noted that the anger had faded from her eyes. It was safe to approach. "Admit it," Jason said wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.  
  
"Fine," she sighed. "I love you."  
  
Jason smiled, his blue eyes glinting with want. "I love you too, but that's not I meant."  
  
Brenda frowned. "I do not fight with you just so we can make up Jason Morgan," she protested trying to pull out of his iron grip. He eyed her skeptically. "I don't!" she pouted.  
  
"Can we make up now, or not?"  
  
"Urgh! You're impossible!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
"So are you," Jason remarked before their lips met. Heat and passion sizzled between them. Without breaking the kiss Jason picked Brenda up and started up the stairs to their bedroom.  
  
~*~  
  
Laura rushed through the PCU campus. She was running late for her acting class. The night class met once a week. It didn't really work into the rest of her schedule, but it was the only beginners class being offered in the fall semester.  
  
Lucky watched her run up the steps, a welcoming smile touched his lips. "You're late," he laughed when she reached the top of the steps.  
  
"Then stop being early," she instructed with a smile. Her blue eyes shone with happiness as Lucky leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Laura was grateful that their relationship was back on track. Things had been pretty intense when she found out that Lucky was Luke's son, and that Luke's Laura wasn't really dead. It had been such a confusing and painful time. Torn between father and son. Laura knew that she didn't really have a chance with Luke, but apart of her had held onto him, causing a rift between her and Lucky.  
  
"How did you leave the club?" Lucky inquired as they walked hand-in-hand into the building.  
  
"Luke was firing Claude," she informed him. "So I left him short handed."  
  
"That's my Dad," Lucky noted. "He brought it on himself."  
  
"He always does," Laura agreed.  
  
~*~  
  
The cold gray of the prison walls did little to cheer her. Nine months, Alexis thought. She'd had missed out on nine months of her daughter's life. Thinking of Kristina was as painful as it was joyful. Pictures of her daughter filled her cell. She received one everyday. Sonny brought it too her and would spend a half-hour telling her about Kristina.  
  
Alexis ran a hand down the picture of her daughter's face. "I never thought I'd be here," she told the picture. Grateful to Sonny, parenting with him . had hell frozen over?  
  
Ned had gone too far after she'd taken Kristina to John Hopkins. Threatening to take Kristina away, and claiming full custody. She couldn't have that so she'd done the only thing she could and told Sonny. Everything - the truth about Kristina, her reasons for lying, Ned's plans and his alliance with Faith.  
  
Her old faith in Sonny Corinthos had been restored.  
  
He hadn't recriminated like she thought he would. Instead he'd been supportive. He successfully deflected Ned and Faith, helped pull Zander out of the situation, and had been undemanding with her about Kristina. Then when her repressed memory came back, he helped find a judge that was willing to take the deal she created. One year prison time then seven years probation.  
  
In three more months she'd be reunited with her daughter. In three more months she'd be joining her family, Alexis thought, her eyes leaving Kristina's photograph and focusing on the one of Zander and Cameron. The two were reunited, pulled together because of her. Though Zander was already of age the paperwork was in motion for her to legal adopt him. When she left Pentonville she would have son to go home too, and a husband.  
  
The simple gold band Cameron had slipped on her fingers only hours before she went to prison was waiting for her amongst her personal effects. Her daughter, a son, a husband, and a good caring friend who happened to be her daughter's father that's what waited for her. That is what kept her going everyday.  
  
Tomorrow would bring a visit from Sonny with a new picture. Cameron would come as well; and three times a week Zander would make it up. Tomorrow was a Z-day as she called it when Zander visited.  
  
From inside a cell life looked surprisingly good.  
  
~*~  
  
"Brownie toast time," Emily announced as she accompanied Elizabeth out of the kitchen. Side-by-side the two could be taken for sisters. Emily was tall and willowy with auburn hair and chocolate eyes, Elizabeth was shorter and a bit more compact but flawlessly beautiful with her pale skin, brunette hair and blue eyes.  
  
"I still don't get this little tradition," Ric commented as the girls approached them.  
  
"It's something Emily use to do with her mother," Zander explained, grinning. His eyes were dark as he watched Emily walking towards him. It was a sight he never thought he'd see again and it made his heart ache with joy.  
  
"A wish and something sweet from a friend," Elizabeth explained. "What could be better?"  
  
"What could be indeed?" Ric asked sweeping Elizabeth into his lap. She let out of laugh as she struggled to keep the brownies on the plate.  
  
Emily rolled her eyes at the two as she settled in the chair next to Zander. The two snuggled closer. "Hey," Zander complained draping his arm around Emily, "are we going eat those brownies or mourn them?"  
  
"Here," Elizabeth said offering the plate to Zander and Emily after she and Ric each took a brownie.  
  
"Who's first?" Emily asked lifting her brownie off the plate.  
  
"I think I need an example," Ric replied.  
  
"Lawyers," Zander muttered shaking his head.  
  
"Okay, we'll go first," Emily offered and turned to face Zander. She broke off a good size chunk. "To love and family, and getting through the rough patches."  
  
'Thank you,' Zander mouthed before eating the offered chunk. He chewed and swallowed the brownie quickly. Zander tore a piece off of his brownie and held it up. "To our future . you'll be a brilliant lawyer and I'll be a law abiding citizen."  
  
"You better be," Ric ribbed.  
  
"You'll be perfect," Emily told Zander once she finished chewing. Her gaze fell on Ric and Elizabeth. "Your turn."  
  
"Okay," Elizabeth said turning on Ric's lap. "To accomplishing the impossible," she toasted with a knowing look. Making Sonny legit was a long and sometimes trying process, but Ric was finally making headway.  
  
"Think you got the handle of this?" Zander asked, his tone teasing.  
  
"Yes, thank you very much," Ric replied tearing off a chunk of his brownie for Elizabeth. His dark eyes met hers and spoke volumes. He wanted to say he loved her now, but he was still guarded, and he was extremely grateful that Elizabeth understood that. So he offered what he could, "To many more happy moments like this."  
  
~*~  
  
"AJ," Courtney called out as she hurried down the docks to catch up with him. After loosing Jason to Brenda, Courtney had gone crawling back to AJ much to Sonny's dismay and Carly's disgust.  
  
"What now Courtney?" AJ asked irritated with his ex-wife. The second Jason got tired of her, like he always knew his brother would, she came sniffing back around him. At first he'd been tempted, but Skye newly enthralled with the elder Jacks brother informed him that he deserved better. It turned out that his sister was right, he did deserve better. Gia was the better. He knew there was no guarantee that they'd ever be together, but he was willing to try and even fail and this time there would no underhanded tricks. If Gia left Nikolas to be with him, it would because she knew and loved the real AJ Quartermaine.  
  
"Aren't you happy to see me?" she questioned smiling at him. "You always use to be."  
  
"That was then and this is now," he retorted. "I repeat. What do you want?"  
  
Courtney's blue eyes went desperate. "For us to try again."  
  
"Us?" AJ questioned skeptically. "There hasn't been an us since you chose my brother over me."  
  
"That's not true," Courtney argued. "Remember how much you wanted me back AJ? You were willing to blackmail me."  
  
"You came to me," AJ replied. It still chaffed him. That he sunk that low, that he was willing to take whatever bones Courtney offered. "Besides I'm not interested."  
  
"Gia will never leave Nikolas. That's right," she laughed. "Everybody knows how you've been chasing after her. Just another girl you'll never really have."  
  
"Great way to ingratiate yourself to me," AJ smirked.  
  
"Don't turn you back on me," Courtney screeched as AJ turned from her. "Don't walk away from me AJ! I'm your wife!"  
  
AJ turned on the steps. "Ex-wife," he said happily.  
  
~*~  
  
Carly scanned her club. The crowd was good tonight. It was only the second week of the month and they had already made enough to cover their overhead, the rest would be pure profit. Money signs were practically dancing in her eyes. Her thoughts shifted when Sonny entered the club.  
  
She smiled lazily and enjoyed the view of him walking towards her. Things were still somewhat strained between them. When the truth about Kristina came out their marriage hit the rocks. Shaken and unsure she'd been tempted to do something crazy. Thank goodness for Jason. Her best friend helped her keep her head straight, and her marriage intact.  
  
Now things were better. Carly never doubted Sonny's love, only his priorities. But he'd proven himself time and time again. He loved his daughter, but he'd never risk her and Michael. "Hey," she purred as Sonny dragged her towards him.  
  
"Hi," Sonny drawled. His dark eyes smoldered. "You look good."  
  
"And you look better," she told him before leaning up and welcoming him with a kiss. 


End file.
